Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has said the prime minister deserves respect when he visits foreign countries as India’s representative, but when he is in the country, people have the right to question him, reported PTI.

Tharoor’s comments come at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s week-long tour of the United States has created considerable buzz including his Sunday interaction with the Indian Diaspora in an event named “Howdy, Modi!” in Houston.

Congress MP from Kerala, who has invited attention for his comments on the Prime Minister in the past, was speaking at a session organised by the All India Professional Congress in Pune district of Maharashtra.

“The prime minister deserves respect in foreign countries as he is a representative of our nation. But when he is in India, we have the right to ask him questions,” Tharoor said.

The Congress MP had made a similar point on Saturday while speaking at the Pune International Literary Festival.

“I would like to send an implicit message outside. We may have differences within our country but when it comes to India’s interest, it is not BJP’s foreign policy nor is it Congress’ foreign policy. It is the Indian foreign policy,” Tharoor was quoted by the PTI as saying.